Because
by maylea
Summary: CH 3 UP: Set in the 1st summer. What if Eric fought for his relationship with Bridget? What if he wasn't so concerned about the rules at soccer camp? R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Because**

**By: Maylea**

_**Author's Note**: This is my first Traveling Pants fic, so please review. I don't care 'bout flames, but it would be nice to receive good feedback from readers._

_**Summary**: This is set before Bridget goes back home from summer camp in the first book. What if Eric followed his instincts and gave in to a relationship with Bee? What would the counselors say about that? Will he fight for love? Bee's heading home next week, would they spend enough time together? Okay, 'nough rambling. I hope I didn't get you confused._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bridget, Eric, Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and all the other characters from the book. They belong to Ann Brashares – who is incredible. How I wish I wrote like her. I can only dream – but who cares anyway…_

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**Chapter I**

Bridget moved herself out to the little porch of her cabin. She could look at the bay at least. She had a pen and a pad of paper. She needed to send the Pants off to Carmen, but today was a hard day for writing.

She was sitting there, chewing on her pen cap, when Eric came over. He sat on the railing.

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Fine," she said.

"You missed the game," he said. He didn't touch her. He didn't look at her. "It was a good one. Diana tore up the field."

They were rewinding the clock. He was back being the benign coach, and she was the irrepressible camper. He was asking her permission to pretend that whatever had happened didn't happen.

She wasn't sure she wanted to give it. "I was tired. Big night last night."

His face colored. He held out his hands and looked at his palms. "Listen, Bridget." He seemed to be picking over a very paltry assortment of phrases. "I should have sent you away last night. I shouldn't have followed you when I saw you pass by my door. …I was wrong. I take responsibility."

"It was my choice to come." How dare he take her power?

"But I'm older than you. I'm the one who… I'm the one who would get in serious shit if people found out."

He still wouldn't look at her. He didn't know what else to say. He wanted to leave. She could see that clearly. "I'm sorry," he said.

She threw her pen after him. She hated that he'd said that.

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**Carma,**

**Here are the Pants. I'm very mixed up. If I had listened to your advice about good sense, I wouldn't be like this.**

**So right back at you. Good sense rules. I wish I had some.**

**Love,**

**Bee**

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**Author's Note: **Okay, I only put in an excerpt from the first book for introduction. I didn't write that much in "me" language, but I would be for the next chapter. I allow flames and everything, but it'd also be great if you gave good reviews. I also appreciate suggestions. Chapter's 2'll be up soon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Because**

**By: Maylea**

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**Author's Note: **_Thanks to all who reviewed! Here's the promised first chapter, in __Eric's point of view. Bee's will be in the next chapter._

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**kd-walker684 -** Thanks so much for the advice and encouragement. :)

**xsummerbabyx -** Thanks for the support, and for reviewing my latest fanfictions. I'm really happy... :)

**ggfan4life11 -** Here's the update, hope you like this chapter.

**Quicksilver19 -** Thank you! I love Bridget and Eric together too, they are my favorite Traveling Pants couple. I hope you like this fanfic!

**Riza-4789 -** Sorry about that, but here's some of my original stuff.

**katmiester -** Here's my original chapter, with some lines from the same portion of the book in the prologue.

**Lavenderangel -** Well, only a few chapters will contain Bee angst, but I'm hoping you'd still read my story anyhow. :)

**gandhigirlrock** - Here's the update! Hope you like. :)

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**Disclaimer: **_Ann Brashares owns all the characters of _The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants. _I don't. I only have possession of this story._

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Eric tossed and turned in his bed that night. Suddenly, the cabin didn't seem as comfortable as he used to think. He was beginning to sweat, silently complaining about the air condition, although its thermostat was already pointing to eight with ten as its coldest point.

He rubbed his lower back where Bridget hit him with her writing instrument. Its pointed side had hit his thin, see-through cotton shirt, into which he changed after the game, which Bee hadn't come to witness.

_"But I'm older than you. I'm the one who… I'm the one who would get in serious shit if people found out."_

If only he hadn't blurted that one out to her. He could've just said something else, instead of sounding so self-absorbed to Bee, whom he wanted to have, but couldn't. Damn this soccer camp, the hell with its regulations and rules.

_"I'm sorry."_

That didn't sound convincing enough either. Eric slapped his forehead and groaned. Why does he always screw things up, when he tends not to? He twisted to face the wall beside his bed. Burying his face into the gap between the side of the bed's loose sheets and the cold wall, he decided that what he did was right. He and Bee aren't supposed to be together, no matter how hard they tried to be.

_And that just sucks. Completely._

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**Author's Note: **I apologize for the extremely short chapter. But writer's block kind of got to me, which I loathe all the same. But please R&R your feedbacks and suggestions. I might be able to use them for this story. Thanks! 


	3. Chapter 3

**Because**

**Chapter 3**

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_**Author's Note:** I am soooo sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. Seriously, I should be nominated for being so completely irresponsible. But here's a chapter, which might (hopefully) cover up for my absence. Thanks to all the reviewers. This is for all of you._

_**Summary**: This is set before Bridget goes back home from summer camp in the first book. What if Eric followed his instincts and gave in to a relationship with Bee? What would the counselors say about that? Will he fight for love? Bee's heading home next week, would they spend enough time together? Okay, 'nough rambling. I hope I didn't get you confused._

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything. Except the stuff I own. But I don't own Sisterhood. I only own copies of the books._

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Eric woke up early the next day. It seemed as if he never had any sleep at all. Okay, so he slept for what, two hours? That barely even counted as a nap. 

He walked into the cafeteria of the camp and settled into a seat round the table especially for councilors. He took a bite out of his toast. That's when he saw her.

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Bee sat down on her usual spot at the table with her soccer camp friends. One of them was talking about new defensive tactics for the next week's match, but Bridget didn't care to listen. She was more preoccupied with the things Eric told her. 

Come to think of it, Eric was being self-absorbed. He cared only about himself. He was more concerned of what was to happen if the camp founded them out. He didn't want to take the risk. Bridget just couldn't stand people like that. She wanted Eric out of her head, settling that he was just another boy.

It was then at that moment that Bee decided to look at boys in a much different light. They're not the girl-following little midgets and play toys Bridget used to think they were. They could really hurt you. Bee used to do the exact opposite, all she had to do before was either accept dates or reject offers from different guys… But with Eric, she just had to take it.

All in all, Bridget was not all right. She was depressed. She didn't want to do anything anymore. She wanted out of this stupid camp. She just was not okay.

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Eric hesitated for a while, but decided that he was going to have to come up with the accurate conclusions regarding his feelings about Bridget. 

So what really happened that night? He was only being selfish. He cared more about what the camp would say. He didn't want to risk his reputation through dating one of his beautiful and appealing campers who he was sure he liked – loved, even. How could he have acted so stupid in front of like that?

One thing was certain. He was going to talk to Bridget again, and hopefully straighten things out, for real this time.

Leave the crap out.

If he could handle it.

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_**Author's Note:** There you go, everyone. Please R&R…_


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